MH/Log - Session 2
Narrator: The staff of Help Me! has been lured out to Gaihwiio Sacred Hill in Colorado for what turns out to have been a singularly inept ambush. Whatever was suppose to have happened, did not, and instead they were attacked by a pack of ferious native American hyena-wolf-cheetahs. EJ: ((or demons)) Narrator: Surprised and partially disarmed, the team has risen to the occasion. Mila and Nick are heavily pressed by most of the pack, and stragglers are fleeing as Johnny, EJ, and David arrive. ROUND5: YOU ARE UP, Wolf Hyena 1! Shunka Warakin: Warakin 6 and 7 decide to flee. They're pretty fast. Amilastet: Wise. Shunka Warakin: Warakin 19 goes for the charge on Clay, zooming across the grass and all-out double attacking to slam and grapple as the signature move of their canine style. Slam first! result: «succeeded by 6 » DA-6/-4 and grapple if that hits result: «succeeded by 0 » DA-2/-2 Clay: wait goes off, boom Clay: before he gets to me Johnny: ((Is that first DA -6/-3 or -8/-4?)) Nicholas: ((It's '-1 to defense for secret style, -6/-3 for Deceptive attack) GM: It's -6/-3 but they're invoking their style bonus for an additional -1. Same as last time. Clay: range -1 (3 yards), nothing else, yah? Johnny: ((OK...got it)) GM: Okay, Clay, give it to him. Nicholas: ((Speed for how far it moved, if it moved far enough.)) Clay: Guns/TL8 (Rifle) result: succeeded by 8 GM: It was definitely in a straight line, so speed isn't an issue. and it can't dodge, so roll damage. Shunka Warakin: Warakin 2 rethinks the sitaution result: «failed by 1 » Clay: 18 pi+ Clay: 24 pi+; burning 1d followup Shunka Warakin: And flees! While 19 takes, uhm... huge amounts of damage and falls over and stuff. Shunka Warakin: Warakin 12 steps in and decides to bite/grapple Mila's neck result: «succeeded by 4 » Amilastet: Dodge! Shunka Warakin: Flanking attack! Amilastet: 12 is right in my face. Shunka Warakin: Warakin 13 continues to nibble on Peck. Amilastet: My arrow's pointing at 12's bum? Shunka Warakin: No, 12 is south of you and just moved 1 hex north to enter your hex. Shunka Warakin: 8 is the dead guy in front of you. Amilastet: No, that's 13 Amilastet: 13 is south Shunka Warakin: No, I have ownership of these things. 13 is on Peck. 12 is south and moving north. 8 is dead to the NE. Amilastet: ... if it's dead, why does it have a circle around it? Amilastet: Ok. Shunka Warakin: Because the circle is part of the token. Amilastet: Ooo. Amilastet: Sorry, having a moment trying to find my dodge again Shunka Warakin: Anyway, Dodge please. at -2. Amilastet: result: «failed by 1 » Shunka Warakin: Take 2 cutting damage to the neck and you're grappled by a wolf-thing half-standing on your shoulders. Amilastet: absorbs the fangs Shunka Warakin: Warakin 15 bites at Nick's leg, telegraphed result: «succeeded by 8 » Shunka Warakin: Warakin 11 attempts to head-wrench Nick and pop his head off! result: «succeeded by 5 », Nick resists with better of ST or HT and if he fails, takes 2d+2 damage to the neck (flexible armor does not protect, forcefields do). Nicholas: I'm grappled for -2, on the ground for -3, and invulnerable? Token dodge: result: «failed by 1 » Shunka Warakin: Warakin 15 Does 2 to Nick's leg. Nicholas: HT: result: «failed by 3 » Shunka Warakin: 11 shakes Nick for 8 damage. Nicholas: "This is getting tiresome." ROUND5: YOU ARE UP, Amilastet! Amilastet: I would like to Break Free of this obnoxious dogmonster. Shunka Warakin: I would like to hold onto you! result: «succeeded by 5 » Amilastet: ST check result: succeeded by 8 Shunka Warakin: Ah. Would you like to move a hex in a direction of your choice? Amilastet: Why yes, I would! ROUND5: YOU ARE UP, Clay! Clay: is the one on our employer alive? can't tell which tokens are active Shunka Warakin: Warakin 13 is continuing to chew on Peck, yes. Clay: hmm, how big are the rocks around the pool? GM: They're about 4, maybe 5' tall. Clay: teleport behind it Clay: Autoteleport result: succeeded by 8 Clay: Body Sense result: succeeded by 4 Clay: then exoport it's brain! Clay: Exoteleport result: succeeded by 7 GM: So that's an attack at -7? and -2 for close combat. Go for it. Clay: resists with HT-7 (quick constest) Clay: not in CC, I have the technique at 15 GM: Is this an Innate Attack or a Malediction? Innate Attacks are ranged attacks, and -2 for the fact that Peck is in there with them. Maledictions can't target specific body parts. Clay: innate attack with the malediction enhancement, uses speed range table, so it can target body parts Clay: bypasses DR GM: If it can target body parts, it takes a penalty for attacking into a close combat. Basically, you can "miss" due to people moving around. Great. Clay: ok, so HT-5 Shunka Warakin: Warakin 13 resists result: «CRITICALLY SUCCEEDED by 9 » Clay: well then GM: Does it hit Peck instead? result: «succeeded by 1 » Clay: I really don't think it should hit other stuff when I succeed on the target roll Clay: since he resisted the port Nicholas: Yeah, that seems fishy. EJ: yeah, it's not like it bounced off GM: ... If he had dodged, you could have hit the other guy. This is kinda funky, actually. Nicholas: It's a Malediction. GM: And he did critically succeed. So.... 5 or less, it hits Peck. result: «failed by 4 » Clay: he doesn't get a dodge tho, it's a resist GM: Nope, just no effect then. Clay: no crits on QC Nicholas: And -- that. GM: Ah! Good point. Okay, I'm just being silly. Still, I'm going to rule that it's at -2 to use on someone in close combat with an allyish person. Clay: :/ ROUND5: YOU ARE UP, Nicholas! Nicholas: Let's see. -4 grappled, -4 prone, -2 bulk, -2 CC? No, I will not try to shoot at 13. Nicholas: Break Free attempt. ST: result: «succeeded by 1 » Nicholas: Ha. Ahaha. Ha. Nicholas: Ahem. Nicholas: Carry on. Shunka Warakin: Hang onto the guy result: «CRITICALLY FAILED by 3 » and do the same result: «succeeded by 6 » Amilastet: Well, looks like you shook off one Shunka Warakin: The dice gods giveth and they taketh away. Hyena 11 shakes Nick so hard that he slides out of the critter's mouth like a greased eel. Clay: (( one more roll? both should be a QC? )) Shunka Warakin: I rolled for both of them. 11 and the other one. No need to make two rolls. ROUND5: YOU ARE UP, Scott Peck! Mr. Peck: Continue to scream, flail, bleed, etc. ROUND6: YOU ARE UP, Johnny! Johnny: Close on the baddies. ROUND6: YOU ARE UP, EJ! EJ: ((all these things are either running away or swarming on peck and co.?)) GM: No, many are dead. Amilastet: Or having their brains turned inside out by Clay EJ: well, meant just the living ones... EJ: and i forget - did i stand up yet? i think i'm still on the ground GM: I don't believe you were ever knocked down. EJ: oh? great... move towards the group EJ: er... my hp is 5 - that affects my move? Amilastet: If that's below 1/3 your HP, it halfs your move GM: Yes EJ: okay EJ: *** ROUND6: YOU ARE UP, David! David: Moves up! David: ### ROUND6: YOU ARE UP, Wolf Hyena 1! Shunka Warakin: Shunka Warakin 12 steps foraward and keeps trying to eat Mila result: «succeeded by 1 », going for the neck Amilastet: Dodge! (10): result: «failed by 4 » Amilastet: Hey Amilastet: wait, did I loose a turn in here? Amilastet: No wait never mind Shunka Warakin: Does 6 damage to her neck and grapples her again Nicholas: Your turn was break free. Amilastet: I broke freek. I'm cool. Amilastet: It'c cutting damage on the attack yes? Shunka Warakin: Warakin 11 bites Nick's torso (yes, cutting damage) result: «succeeded by 3 » Shunka Warakin: The other one shifts his grip to Nick's neck result: «succeeded by 9 » Shunka Warakin: oops, that was an attack but whatever. Nicholas: So if I somehow dodge both of these I end up ungrappled entirely? Shunka Warakin: fleeing ones flee. GM: Yes, I believe so. Nicholas: And the leg grapple doesn't interfere with dodge, correct? GM: Uhm, no, I think having your leg grappled limits your ability to Dodge, even when prone. Nicholas: Dodge: result: «failed by 8 » for the neck. Nicholas: Dodge: result: «failed by 4 » for the leg. Nicholas: I am once again failing to be lunch. Shunka Warakin: They do 3 and 4 cutting damage, second to the neck. ROUND6: YOU ARE UP, Amilastet! Nicholas: Location only really matters if they pierce DR, which they've still got about 70 or 80 (90?) to go through. GM: Right. Amilastet: is barely encumbered by being entangled! She whips up the small axe, hacking off one of the legs poised on her shoulder, and driving the edge across to sever the wolfoids biting head. Amilastet: Close combat technique reduces CC penalty to -2 Amilastet: Signature attack Amilastet: • First is a Targeted Attack Axe Swing to the Leg at 14 (18 +4 -8/-4 DA) for a -4 to defenses. result: «succeeded by 2 » • Second is a Targeted Attack Axe Swing to the Neck at 15 (17 +4 -6/-3 DA) for a -3 to defenses. If the Defender is on the ground from having a crippled leg or knockback, they are at a further -3 to defenses for posture. result: «succeeded by 7 » GM: Aren't you at -4 for being grappled? Amilastet: -2 to both of those Amilastet: I thought that's what I'm buying off? Nicholas: Close combat technique buys off the penalty for using a long weapon in close. GM: You're at -4 for using an axe against someone who is standing 30 cm from you. you're at an additional -4 if they're currently biting your neck. Nicholas: You still take skill penalties for being grappled; I'm not sure there's even a technique for that. Amilastet: Ah, ok. Amilastet: So first one misses, second hits! Amilastet: i'm at -1 damage for being in CC Shunka Warakin: Well then I'll Dodge! result: «failed by 2 » Shunka Warakin: oops. Amilastet: Axe does 10 (cut, silver coated) Shunka Warakin: Hmmm. I take 18 damage, have my throat torn out, and decide to lie down and bleed out. Amilastet: "DOWN, spawn of Set!" ROUND6: YOU ARE UP, Clay! Nicholas: "These are definitely not Egyptian enough for that. Although I do wonder where the hyena bits come in." Clay: lets try this again! Clay: Innerportation result: succeeded by 4 Shunka Warakin: Resist that result: «succeeded by 0 » EJ: "Demons are like that, of course." Clay: was that with the -4? Shunka Warakin: Did you just Temple of Doom me? Shunka Warakin: No that wasn't with the -4. Clay: 2 Clay: er Shunka Warakin: Try "2d6+1" Clay: 4 Clay: gah, can't type Clay: luck on that Clay: 10 Clay: 4 Clay: last used Luck! EST, and uses LUCK again at 2011-07-25 18:01:03 EST. Shunka Warakin: I suspect I take 30 injury, look slightly confused about the way my heart is visible in my eyes, and collapse. Shunka Warakin: (resist death! result: «succeeded by 3 » ROUND6: YOU ARE UP, Nicholas! Nicholas: DO NOT SET OFF THE GUN ADJACENT TO MY OWN FACE. Nicholas: I attempt to break free. Nicholas: ST: result: «failed by 4 » Nicholas: Nope! Nicholas: ### Amilastet: "Look, Set's a freakish dog-beast of unknown type right? These are weird freakish dog beasts, they're with Set." Nicholas: "I thought Set was the falcon?" Nicholas: says this just to needle the mummy. Amilastet: "..." Amilastet: decapitates a few more dog-beasts. GM: Uhm. I'm willing to accept that the Help Me! team can kill two crazed hyenas before they tear throw Nick's forcefield. And his forcefield will expire in a bit anyway, so he's out the charm regardless. Nicholas: Yup! Amilastet: murders dog-beasts while muttering under her breath about falcons. Nicholas: I'll need to make a couple more of those, they are /handy/. Shunka Warakin: Shunka did 11 damage to Mr. Peck's neck. Shunka Warakin: Or 22 injury. Mr. Peck: Still alive? Yes, yes indeed. Nicholas: Stable but unconscious? Mr. Peck: Still conscious? result: «failed by 3 » Mr. Peck: Yes! Nicholas: Stable but unconscious! Clay: thought I killed the one on him Amilastet: Another one ran up Amilastet: It's a bit of a clusterfrag. Clay: ah, they are fast Amilastet: Yeah. Narrator: The last of the Shunka Warakin are quickly dispatched as they focus like rabid weasels on Nick. GM: No, that's the accumulated damage he took BEFORE you killed that one. Clay: ah Nicholas: Healing Touch costs 51 energy at 3d+2. Nicholas: We'll push it to 59 energy for 5d+2. Clay: I will go check out the spot where the inital blood splash came from, since there might be clues or almost dead people there Amilastet: stands ready to hold off the second wave! Nicholas: "Clay, EJ, Johnny, David - search the woods, stay in pairs. Mila, you're with me, I'm going to patch up Mr. Peck and then we're going to get him to the van." Nicholas: Which reminds me, who lacks Tactics/Soldier? Amilastet: Me! David: Me! GM: Okay, is Clay teleporting off ahead or walking with the norms? Amilastet: I would like to adjust this, along with swapping out my quirk as apaprently Amila is a lying weasel when it suits her so the quirk is all wrong, but for now, meeee Johnny: I have both at 13 Nicholas: Tactics: result: «failed by 1 » Amilastet: BRB ice cream omnomnom David: I want to check out the place that I saw a flash of red that looked like a sniper's hide at the beginning of this. Clay: "Same, lets go" GM: Right, EJ, Clay, and David are headed that way. Is Clay going ahead? GM: oh, and apparently Johnny too. Johnny: Johnny will follow the other 3 Clay: I'll go ahead Clay: "EJ, maybe you should stay here and no bleed more?" GM: result: «CRITICALLY SUCCEEDED by 10 » GM: Before Clay teleports out, he gets a flash of insight - there might be more of those things still at the target site. Clay: Ah, hmm Clay: "There are more there, getting some ammo from the van, anyone else want something?" Clay: teleports to the van, grabs a two normal mags Clay: Autoteleport result: succeeded by 9 Clay: Body Sense result: succeeded by 6 Amilastet: "Axe! My big axe!" Amilastet: sorry was afk Clay: grabs the big axe Clay: Autoteleport result: succeeded by 11 Narrator: After being healed by Nick, the team heads off across the fields and wends their way to the potential sniper site. Clay: Body Sense result: succeeded by 4 Clay: (( if it was going to take 5 mins, I'd have gone with someone else to check out the site, since there might be almost dead people to save, or catch )) GM: There, they find 7 bodies, dressed in camo and armed with scoping hunting rifles (Remington 700s), with their throats torn out and their bodies briefly savaged. A trail of blood and gore leads northwest, but quickly fades into an intermittent blood track and shunka warakin foot prints. GM: I'm going to assume that EJ is healed within a minute, or that you guys go in a 3 man team, while Nick messes around with magic and stuff. Nicholas: Path of Magic (Refilling Mana Reserve, needs 14 energy): « You pulled it off! You made 4 attempts to accumulate energy and you ended up with 16 energy. You took 2 successes to get it (including 0 Critical Successes) You failed 2 times while doing it. » Nicholas: That took 20 seconds and wtf failing TWICE on skill 17? Nicholas: Yikes. Amilastet: happens. GM: Quirks don't count for refilling the reserve. Nicholas: Yeah Nicholas: I'm just, four rolls, two fails on 17. Ow. Nicholas: Anyway. Nicholas: Mila has no FP. Nicholas: I can't borrow them from her. Amilastet: Yeap Nicholas: So we have my Mana Reserve of 15, needing 57 energy. Needs 42. Amilastet: And no reserve = magery 0 Nicholas: Path of Body (3d+2 healing, AoE 3 yards, needs 42 energy): « You pulled it off! You made 29 attempts to accumulate energy and you ended up with 43 energy. You took 12 successes to get it (including 2 Critical Successes) You failed 17 times while doing it. » Nicholas: Oof. Nicholas: Well, it worked! GM: 138 Amilastet: Hurray! Very quirky though. GM: Only takes 3 minutes and 17 quirks. GM: Uhm. GM: Wow. Nicholas: Or one big quirk. Nicholas: Which, importantly, still lets the spell /work/. Clay: (( are we sure the script works? )) Amilastet: Smell like delicious steaks? Nicholas: ((Yes.)) Amilastet: (( dice are evil. )) GM: Yeah, so Mr. Peck is healed for 18 or whatever. Amilastet: 3d+2 which technically could have come up 18 Nicholas: 5d6? 3d6+2. GM: Oops, 11 and he's got funky bright glowing scars and quite possibly a really bad case of throat cancer. Nicholas: "That was far less effective than I'd hoped." Nicholas: On the bright side, it's also 13 healing for EJ and 11 healing for David. GM: On the down side, they both have distinctive features now and cancerous scars. Nicholas: "Cancer" is a hell of a quirk. GM: 17 quirks! Nicholas: "A healing spell that kills you!" GM: Slowly! Nicholas: But hey, I can cure cancer. Johnny: just looks cancerous! David: takes up smoking Nicholas: Sometime when I have more time. Amilastet: pokes them suspiciously. GM: Checking the rules. GM: "Multiple failures may result in multiple minor effects or a single, significant one" (MHC36). 17 quirks works out to a mild case of skin cancer on the healed areas that will eventually turn into Terminal Illness if not treated. EJ: what i miss? Nicholas: I gave you cancer. EJ: need reinvite to chat too, please GM: Alright, the team is healed (more or less) and needs to talk to their doctors soon. Then some people go off and investigate the sniper's blind, finding 7 bodies in camo with rifles and a trail of shunka warakin footprint disappearing into the underbrush. GM: Also, Mr. Peck is not in danger of dying in the next few minutes. Amilastet: Always nice! GM: What are you guys doing? David: Rolling the bodies for clues! Amilastet: I'm checking out the corpses I guess, since I know not the mystic arts of tracking in underbrush. Bodies in cammo: any ID, obvious unit insignia? Clay: Well, hunter camo or military camo? David: Cell phones, ID, gear serial numbers, digital storage devices, tattoos, etc. Clay: I run the EWD over it, just in case Amilastet: Gang tattoos are Amilastet: arrrrr rather EJ: these aren't gang tattoos GM: Their clothes are hunter style, but several are in military patterns. They have a variety of tattooes, but nothing obvious in common. They have cell phones, a mix of styles and models. Amilastet: So disorganized guys. Amilastet: In an ambush. Amilastet: With a guy bringing us in trying to get us to leave our crap in the van. GM: Their guns are not especially high quality - Walmart standards with decent but not excellent scope. Nicholas: ((Walmart sells guns?)) David: Should I be rolling Detective!, or is the GM doing that for me. Amilastet: (( used to )) David: ((Yes)) Clay: (( yes, and ammo )) David: ((Still does)) Amilastet: (( like Canadian Tire )) GM: Hmm. Dave can roll Detective, sure! Clay: there signs of a struggle or they get surprised? David: Detective! result: succeeded by 5 David: SHazam! Clay: takes some blood samples, just in case GM: David assesses the situation. It looks like someone - most likely Peck - hired a bunch of local never-do-wells and equipped them with cheap gear, to set up an ambush on you guys. Then a bunch of shunka warakin ambushed them. The thugs never had a chance and most of them didn't even have a chance to fight before dying. Looking through their wallets and such, there's nothing to indicate they were anything other than a bunch of local good-ole-boy types. GM: Well, not good-ole-boys per se, but you get the point. EJ: we're taking peck in for "questioning" GM: Is there anything else David wants to know? David: Whichaway the Shunka Warakin came from. Amilastet: I want to know if Kheru-remm-parthal is behind either the Warakin or Peck, but I don't think we can find that out just yet. David: "We want to track down pack to see if they have a den?" EJ: peck is sounding less and less like a guy we properly vetted... just saying David: Really. GM: Well, they came from the northeast and fled to the northwest, based on the bit of the trail that you can easily see. Tracking them would be a different Detective attempt. Clay: "Yah, or he could have been as patsy as well and there is someone else behind this" David: "So, we tracking the pack?" Amilastet: "Good idea. I think that's the current problem." David: "We can truss up Peck and put him in van." EJ: "I dunno..." GM: BTW, Fanatics can't ignore or give up on a monster, so yeah. David: pulls some zip ties and duct tape from his satchel. Clay: what else do we know about these monsters? do they fade back into the dreamlands or do they have lairs here? Nicholas: "They're still out there, so we'll tie up Peck in the van and head after them." GM: Uhm. Who has Hidden Lore (Cryptids) and at what levels? Amilastet: Zero here. I do ghosts and ghouls. David: Nada here. Amilastet: Demons. GM: Or Veterinary or Animal Handling (Canines)? Nicholas: I have a good Biology default. Clay: I think I got in off biology (13 skill) Clay: before GM: okay, hang on Clay: "Is Peck awake or still passed out?" David: trusses up Peck with zip ties, stuffs one of his socks in his mouth and duct tapes it securely, checking to make sure his airway is unobstructed. (assuming he's unconcious) Clay: "I don't think we should leave him alone, unless he's in the van tied out very well, we don't want him eaten before we can find what he knows" GM: Peck is still asleep. Clay and Nick believe that the shunka are natural creatures, based on the corpses lying out in the field. Amilastet: So. I can't track, I'll let David take point on that. David: Detecti(ve)!ing my ass off. David: Detective! result: succeeded by 3 Clay: (( I don't have tracking, I'll follow David after we secure Peck in the van )) GM: After an hour, the team has tracked the cryptids to their lair - small cave mouth in a rough hillside. Shunka Warakin are reasonably skilled diggers, so the warren may be reasonably extensive inside. Johnny: By secure in the van, does that involve binding him or just leaving him? Clay: binding David: Binding, see above Nicholas: We do not leave the man who tried to kill us unbound in our van. David: gagged and bound. Johnny: oh missed that... Amilastet: If we have time, I'd like to get my armor too Amilastet: In case we get shot at. Amilastet: Or eaten by more dogs. David: Yeah, goin' tactical. David: And I say we just start a fire at the cave mouth. Clay: "Hmm, I think that might be wise, we might want more ammo as well" Nicholas: Path of Magic (Refilling Mana Reserve, needs 15 energy): « You pulled it off! You made 4 attempts to accumulate energy and you ended up with 19 energy. You took 4 successes to get it (including 0 Critical Successes) You failed 0 times while doing it. » GM: Also, the warren is crawling dog-sized, so people will need to crawl and be in close combat with the cave walls. David: Yes, so fire. Clay: "Hmm, wonder if there are other entrances" Nicholas: Keeping Peck Asleep (needs 7 energy): result: «failed by 2 » Nicholas: Er. Nicholas: Keeping Peck Asleep (needs 7 energy): « You pulled it off! You made 2 attempts to accumulate energy and you ended up with 12 energy. You took 2 successes to get it (including 0 Critical Successes) You failed 0 times while doing it. » Nicholas: Well, that worked. EJ: fffffuuuu Nicholas: Path of Magic (Refilling Mana Reserve, needs 15 energy): « You pulled it off! You made 3 attempts to accumulate energy and you ended up with 20 energy. You took 3 successes to get it (including 1 Critical Successes) You failed 0 times while doing it. » EJ: ((I was going to for interrogating peck instead, but circumstances conspired against me... what's up now?)) EJ: ((Also, another invite please)) Nicholas: "Filling things iwth fire is not my forte." Clay: "Yah, let me see what I can come up with" GM: You guys have tracked the shunka warakin to their lab and are contemplating what to do. Meanwhile, Peck is magically sedated. David: starts gathering some firewood and clearing the area around the cave mouth of underbrush. David: ((assuming nothing immediately comes out of the cave)) Clay: hopes someone is covering the cave with a gun Amilastet: lab or lair ? GM: Lair. Wild animals have lairs. Clay: also, did we happen to see ATVs/trucks that the dead guys came in on? Nicholas: "They probably have other exits." GM: Uhm... yeah, there was another set of footprints leading to the sniper site, you haven't backtracked those yet. Amilastet: Monsters first! GM: People who aren't David can make Tracking rolls to search for any other exits from the warren. Clay: "Well, we can just jam some wood in and light it, or I can go back for some stuff and seal the entrance" Johnny: Tracking(12) - result: «failed by 2 » Amilastet: Perception -5? Amilastet: PE check result: CRITICALLY FAILED by 19 Nicholas: ... Clay: Perception check result: failed by 2 Nicholas: How do you even DO that? Amilastet: I'.... not sure. Amilastet: Perception came up 0 Amilastet: It's atually 12 GM: You guys find no other exits. Amilastet: so that's just fail by 7 EJ: ((does tracking default to guns! in any way, shape, or form? )) Amilastet: Tracking gun casings? Johnny: ((Maybe for finding ballistic paths)) GM: Only if you're shooting at something in the process or something. EJ: ((fairy nuff) David: Once they finish moping about, I tell them to gather more firewood and do a check myself to see if I can find other entrances. David: Detective! result: succeeded by 7 GM: Ah, now that someone who knows what to look for wanders around for a bit, David finds another exit. David: Can I collapse it fairly easily? GM: Uhm. It's a tunnel entrance, just like the other one. GM: So some rock, hole in the ground, etc. GM: ... not too hard if you had a tool and wanted to spend a few minutes standing right in front of it. David: "Clay, can you get some shovels in here real quick?" David: "And I need a couple people down here. Amila would be especially helpful." Clay: "Oh, I guess you could use shovels too, less effective though." Amilastet: duitifully trots over. "Don't let him blow it up." David: "Why not?" Amilastet: "I don't like being set on fire again." David: "Understandable." David: "Clay, you got a better way?" Clay: "So, be far away? You use shovels and they will just dig back out" Amilastet: "not going to be digging fast enough to escape, if David's smoking them out." Clay: so, explosives (demolition) to pick the right tool for collapsing in the tunnels? GM: Yes, that would be the right skill. Clay: Explosives/TL8 (Demolition) result: succeeded by 8 GM: You figure out the right answer to safely collapse the tunnel mouths without risking yourself, but the main warren tunnels will be safe unless you place the explosives deep into them. Clay: "We only want one end shut then? David: "Yup." David: "May still want to check it out after we've cleared it." Nicholas: Sense Tunnel Exits: result: «succeeded by 4 » Nicholas: Path of Magic (Refilling Mana Reserve, needs 15 energy): « You pulled it off! You made 3 attempts to accumulate energy and you ended up with 16 energy. You took 3 successes to get it (including 0 Critical Successes) You failed 0 times while doing it. » Clay: I zip back to the van and grab enough to seal two ends, plus the detonation equipment David: "Nicholas, can you do something to diffuse the smoke?" Clay: I rig the higher of the two entrances to collapse David: "So we can't be spotted from miles away?" Clay: Explosives/TL8 (Demolition) result: succeeded by 2 Nicholas: "Erm. Probably that's a 'no', but..." GM: Clay feels reasonably confident about his bomb making skills. Nicholas: "Yeah, definitely a 'no'. Nicholas: "Sorry." GM: Are you guys doing any additional preparation before you set off the bombs? Nicholas: I did succeed at the 'find all the exits' roll. Nicholas: Are there any other exits we should be blocking? David: Setting up on both entrances. Preferably up the hillside. Clay: I think we have a fire ready to go at one, the bomb at the other Nicholas: The goal being to smoke them out. David: Bomb first, wait for someone to come out the other entrance or the pack to return. David: Then start the fire and watch the entrance. David: Well, less smoke them out than "pull all the air out of the burrow." EJ: do we have time to get back to the van, grab the rest of our weapons, and set up a sniper nest of our own? GM: I never saw Nick roll to find an exit. And it's not find all exits, it's find an exit, repeated until you stop finding exits. GM: Oh, there's the roll! David: Ah. David: Didn't know that. GM: Sorry, okay, Nick found at least 1 more exit. Clay: (( I think we geared up before we followed them )) Nicholas: I'm willing to keep going! Nicholas: Sense Tunnel Exit: result: «succeeded by 0 » GM: Yes, you guys have plenty of time to get gear. Nicholas: These take about 30s each. GM: Nick found another exit. Clay: ah, I may have gotten more stuff if there are more than just the two Nicholas: How about 'how many exits are there within 3 miles'? GM: Then you need an Area Effect of 3 miles. Nicholas: Which /wouldn't/ use the long-distance modifier. Nicholas: Right Nicholas: You know how many exits there are. Nicholas: I'll just keep going at this until I run out of exits. Nicholas: Sense Tunnel Exits: result: «succeeded by 0 » GM: You don't find a new exit that time. EJ: we have an exit to watch? Nicholas: Oh hey! Nicholas: "Okay, there are two more exits." Nicholas: "We'll need to block them, too." EJ: and a spot to watch it from? GM: EJ: Yes. EJ: then EJ will be setup, with the "fully loaded" loadout Clay: ok, so 4 total? Clay: I'll make two more charges Clay: Explosives/TL8 (Demolition) result: succeeded by 4 Clay: Explosives/TL8 (Demolition) result: succeeded by 4 EJ: ammo on sniper is charmed rounds Nicholas: Be careful with those. GM: 4 exits total. You know where all of them are. So, uhm. The plan to collapse 3 exits and put a fire in front of the 3rd, so the shunka have to flee out that exit or die of smoke inhalation. Nicholas: Collapse 3 and fire the 4th Nicholas: But yes. GM: Checking: the charmed rounds that do like 10d explosive each? Nicholas: 6d+15 bu ex Nicholas: Plus bullet damage. GM: Right. Amilastet: backs the hell up. Nicholas: Notably, *+15*, not *x15*. EJ: i'm expecting multiple targets to come out at a time... packed close enough together, i can wipe out several at a time Nicholas: They're meant to explode inside people and mess them up. Amilastet: ahem. http://ottgaming.grimoire.ca/maptools-resources/explosion.html Nicholas: Not take out buildings. Narrator: Clay sets the charges and David and EJ set up a sniper nest. Johnny prepares to attack anything getting through. Amilastet: Just sayin EJ: wait... does my plan not work the way i think it does? Clay: yah, I have my rifle loaded with normal ammo on the sling Narrator: The charges go off, the fire goes up, and the panicked shunka warakin are easily slaughtered as they attempt to break out. EJ: i'll use normal ammo if these shots aren't going to be multi-demon-killing Clay: um, maybe Johnny should be in the blast area from the sniper rounds? Clay: souldn't GM: No, Johnny's got his sword at the sniper nest, in case they charge the nest. Not in the way. EJ: looks like it doesn't matter either way, and i can get more charmed Clay: meh, anyhow, it's a turkey shoot EJ: yeah Johnny: Wasnt planning on it.... EJ: for future reference though... EJ: what happens to anything in the next hex from the target? GM: It takes 2d+5 damage. EJ: okay, what i thought GM: Less DR for an internal explosion, plus any shrapnel from bones from an internal explosion. David: Let it burn for the rest of the day. Nicholas: If you hit the target and the bullet explodes inside it, it takes 3d+15 damage, divided by 3, using the original target's DR and half the original target's HP as bonus DR. David: Do we want to do anything? David: Search the warren, seal the remaining entrance, etc? Amilastet: I would like to be thurough Nicholas: Seal the remaining entrance, plan to spend a few days in town in case we find signs of more of them. David: While we're waiting for the fire to burn down, I want to check the local news for a spike in dissappeared hikers or anything. Amilastet: I would like to find out who was trying to kill us. Amilastet: Also. David: Yeah, digging on Peck would also be good. GM: Okay, (roll roll) you find evidence of a rise in sheep slayings and one or two disappeared hunters, but nothing like a "spike." Clay: I'd like to go back and take Peck someplace else David: Enough to support the size of the pack? Clay: go over cell phone records, check his house GM: And your research on Peck doesn't reveal anything that you haven't already learned. Hm. Actually, make Computer Use or Research rolls at -4 for anyone reviewing the information on Peck. David: Detective!? GM: Sure, you're doing Research, that's Detective! Nicholas: Research: result: «succeeded by 1 » Amilastet: Research/TL8 (11) result: failed by 5 David: Detective! result: failed by 2 Clay: Computer Operation/TL8 result: failed by 4 Clay: last used Luck (2011-07-25 18:01:03) EST, and uses LUCK again at 2011-07-25 19:31:55 EST. Clay: Computer Operation/TL8 result: succeeded by 1 Clay: Computer Operation/TL8 result: succeeded by 5 Johnny: Computer Op(13) - result: «failed by 1 » GM: Reviewing their notes compared to the Peck that they met, Clay and Nick realize that the pictures of Peck on file do not 100% match the guy that you have tied up and sedated in the van. GM: Some of that can be explained by aging and such, but it looks like you got a ringer here. Amilastet: "No wonder he doesn't know his ridiculous crystal logic." Nicholas: "So we have six bodies in the wilderness to clean up, plus a whole lot of dead creatures that really aren't wolves." Clay: "So, time to search his home?" EJ: "You know... I'm starting to think these dog things aren't really demons." David: "Well, maybe." David: "I'm more interested in who he really is." Nicholas: "They aren't." David: "They aren't?" Clay: "They still might have been summoned, kind of fortunate for us actually" Nicholas: "They're just dogs. Big, angry dogs." Amilastet: "Set beasts." David: "I want to know who tried to have us killed, and seeing as I'm very skeptical of coincidences, who saved us." Clay: "No, native american traditional beasts, not egypt" Nicholas: "What are we going to do about the bodies?" David: "Bear attack in the woods?" Johnny: "Well, if we burn the 'dogs' no one is going to really notice that the corpses are that much different from wolves..." David: "Get rid of the wolf-hyenas, rest takes care of itself." Clay: "Well, anonymous tip? After we police our brass at the ritual site?" David: "Yeah." Clay: is thankful his gun has large easy to find casings Nicholas: "A bear attacked and killed a half-dozen armed men?" David: "Yeah, wierd, huh?" David: "Must have been mythological wolf-hyenas instead." Clay: "Well, we can haul them in and you can file whatever report you want" EJ: "We tell them it was a bear and nobody will believe otherwise." Nicholas: "Clearly a bear. Works for me." Clay: "Just add some beer to the scene, they were surprised while drunk" Amilastet: "Packs of feral dogs are real anyways." Johnny: "Well if we take the weapons...they will not have been 'armed'" Amilastet: Nah, illegally hunting works too. Clay: "Then hope noones does a blood test" EJ: "No, leave the weapons. Nobody is going to believe these guys were out here like this, unarmed." Nicholas: "Drunk hunters mauled by bears." Nicholas: "Works for me." EJ: "This is redneck country." David: "Might want to scatter some empties back at their truck." Clay: "Ok, so Peck's place next?" David: "Peck's place next." EJ: "Maybe we should talk to 'Peck' first." Amilastet: "Pecks place, and Peck. And some pointed questions." David: "And do some digging on the local yokels to see if they have a common watering hole." David: "Agreed." Amilastet: "Un-Peck anyways." Clay: "Er, yah, whoever he is. Anyone able to run his prints or stuff like that?" Clay: handwaves the coverup here David: "Erm, probably." David: ((Can I pull that off?)) Clay: looks to see if it's even Peck's truck GM: Okay, David needs to make a Detective roll to clean up the crime scene. GM: The truck is Peck's truck. David: Extra Time +2! Johnny: I don't know who has the best computer skills, but I'd suggest doing a facial recognition search on what Peck is actually supposed to look like into archival type stuff to see if hes some sort of ancient 'thingy' GM: Or at least, most recently registered to Peck, etc. David: Detective! result: succeeded by 2 Clay: reloads his magazines from boxes of ammo GM: Johnny: you have consistent pictures of Peck. It's just the guy in the van isn't that guy. GM: Now, you could do some facial checks on the guy in the van, but the chance of hitting something is pretty low. David: Yeah. Nicholas: Getting the truth out of him is probably going to be pretty easy. David: I think when we get back to the van we check him for tattoos. David: Also true. Johnny: OK wasnt sure how deeply we investigated Peck...It was a thought! Johnny: I have them so rarely GM: You investigated Peck thoroughly. Sadly, you apparently investigated the wrong guy. =/ Nicholas says to the GMs: I deliberately didn't push path of mind, because I don't want interrogations to be trivial 'I mind control him into answering us truthfully to the best of his ability' exercises. Nicholas: First, and stupid question: Is he carrying Peck's ID? EJ: yeah, i got that as soon as you said he didn't match his pictures GM whispers to Nicholas: but that's the fun bit! David: Digging into his cell might be revealing. David: Depending on how dumb he is. GM: Yes. The picture doesn't 100% match, but driver's license photo, what are you going to do? GM: Also, it's about 6 years old, and up for renewal about 5 days ago. Amilastet: ... Amilastet: but not renewed? Nicholas: I will leave the detective work to the guy I hired who's better at it than most trained FBI agents. GM: But not renewed. GM: Err, due for renewal. Overdue by 5 days. That. Amilastet: That suggests The Real Peck went awol before that. Possibly quite a bit before that dpeneding on how organized he is. Amilastet: And is not just wandering around oblivious to his evil twin here. Nicholas: Yeah. I think the next stop is The Real Peck's address, now that the scene is clean. Clay: I look for signs of makeup and/or plasitc surgery Johnny: Clean being a realtive term GM: Also, it's still an LA license, so he's technically committing a violation by not having renewed it when he moved a year ago. but he's also in violation in LA. Clay: check his roots David: Detective! to look at his cell for phones? GM: Sure. David: "Check his pubic hair, they usually don't dye that." David: Detective! result: succeeded by 2 EJ: "You check it." GM: Also, Perception for people examining the False Peck. And Free Spirit Lore. Clay: "I'll check it, sheesh" David: shrugs, puts on a glove, but stops when Clay speaks. Clay: Perception check result: succeeded by 4 David: Perception check result: succeeded by 3 Clay: has on latext gloves Amilastet: Hidden Lore (Free Spirits) (13) result: succeeded by 3 Clay: is checking for colored contacts, well healed scars etc EJ: free spirit, demonology default? GM: Look it up. Narrator: As the team pulls off Peck's clothes and examines him closely, Amila recognizes a Seelie court brand on his side. Nick and anyone else who has been in with the team for 4 months also recognizes the brand. Nicholas: Hidden Lore (Free Spirits): result: «CRITICALLY FAILED by 2 » Nicholas: Wow. GM: Well, okay, apparently Nick DOESN'T recognize the brand. GM: ... how that works I don't know. Amilastet: He has a brainfart. EJ: ya know... i have no idea how long EJ has been with the team GM: It's the brand of a Seelie faerie court that was kidnapping (err, should have been "with the team for 16 months", sorry) children and replacing them as changelings. Help Me! destroyed the court, but it's possible some of the changelings and/or some of the kidnappees escaped. Amilastet: points at the brand. "He's marked by the People under the Hills." Amilastet: "I bet they're still cranky." GM: The kidnappees were branded with this mark, a symbol of their ownership by and servitude to the court. Nicholas: "So we got set up for revenge." Amilastet: spits dryly. "It'd be just like them to drop in a 'changeling' too. Not very creative sometimes." EJ: "I hope all our enemies are this inept." Nicholas: "They weren't inept. He disarmed us, set up an ambush none of us detected, and we got saved by sheer luck." Clay: "Well, that sucks, hopefully he kept in contact with any others that escaped" Clay: "Would the slaves still be working for them without a master? How good is there control?" EJ: "You call us being overrun by a pack of wild animals 'luck'?" Nicholas: "The alternative was a bullet in the brainpan, EJ." David: "Better than getting shot in the head" Clay: "Yah, they killed all the snipers" Clay: "Well, maybe snipers is giving them too much credit" Amilastet: absentmindedly says "Depends on who's head." while she pokes around Not-Peck. Nicholas: "Let's get him back to his place, wake him up, and get some answers." Amilastet: "Kidnapped babies raised by the Court to be slaves can be pretty loyal. Depends on how young he was when he was taken." EJ: ((One thing I want to ask about that sniper's nest... how were they going to shoot up hill?)) David: ((You aim that way ^)) GM: Uhm... they were on a different hill 200 yards away? Amilastet: (( most of the valid targets would be shoulders and heads if they were below us. Good targets for assasination anyways. )) EJ: ((okay, i just wanted to be sure on the situation before i said anything)) EJ: "Did you see their guns? They weren't going to hit shit at 200 yards." Amilastet: (( just wait till folks get closer to the edge, tand they'r enicely shillouetted against the sky as a result. )) EJ: "Those guys might as well have been as set up as we were." David: ((I can hit a man at 500 yards without a scope EJ.)) David: ((Reliably)) EJ: ((With a POS wally world gun?)) David: ((With a walmart special, sure)) GM: Weren't walmart specials, just standard guns. Remington 700s. David: ((I think you actually said "wallmart special")) EJ: ((yeah)) GM: No, I said walmart standards. GM: You guys said specials. Amilastet: I think we're having problems understanding what you meant then. GM: Ah. Standard, not cheap. GM: Anyhoo. Nicholas: They're off-the-shelf guns with no particular flaws or benefits. EJ: ((the main thing being, these guys aren't professional shooters with custom rifles)) Clay: hmm, did Peck have a weapon on him? Nicholas: So. Nicholas: Driving to the address on Peck's ID. GM: No. Clay: lets interrogate him at another location out in the wilderness, then go to his house GM: I mean, no weapons, you can drive to his address. Clay: just in case there is someone else there (like his master) waiting for us Nicholas: Okay, so we wake him up and interrogate him /here/. EJ: yeah, i like the idea of talking to him first a LOT EJ: here as in where we got ambushed? not a good idea David: Find another backroad. EJ: ayup GM: You guys drive off, park, and wake up Peck. David: "Hi." EJ: intimidate roll as guns! if i cock the shotgun? GM: Sure, EJ! David: looks back at EJ in the background, looming menacingly with weapons. David: is not noticably armed. David: "We have a problem." Nicholas: I have an idea for a helpful interrogation spell. Amilastet: is nearly spiky with weapons at this point. Clay: (( should ward him so he can't send magic messages! )) David: ((Good idea)) EJ: "We want to ask you some questions." result: «succeeded by 6 » GM: Did EJ makes that Interrogation roll? GM: Okay, thanks. David: I'm gonna do a Talker! roll too. Mr. Not-Peck: "You! You! How! Why are you still alive? Wasn't it enough to steal my heritage? Did you also ally with the Unseelie?!" David: "Oh good. You're talking." David: "Why would you think we allied with the unseelie?" Mr. Not-Peck: "Those foul hounds! Were they not the very tools of Winter?" Nicholas: passes David a flask. "Give him a drink." David: "Here, wash the blood from your mouth" David: forces him to drink if he doesn't do so willingly. Mr. Not-Peck: Takes the drink, given that he doesn't really have a choice. "Ack! That's strong!" David: "Yes, it is." Nicholas: Path of Mind: result: «succeeded by 5 » David: "No, we have no idea what was up with the wolf-hyena things." Nicholas: Resist with HT or Will, whichever's better. Mr. Not-Peck: Resist result: «failed by 3 » David: "Apparently they're not demons." Amilastet: "We stood betwen them and you and risked our flesh and blood for you." EJ: "We figured they weren't friends of yours after they ate your 'snipers'." Amilastet: "So no. Not allied." Nicholas: (Drunk is -2 to DX and IQ, and -4 to self-control rolls.) Mr. Not-Peck: "Whurr?" Mr. Not-Peck: Peck reels in his bonds, his eyes suddenly bloodshot. David: "Wow." David: glances back at Nick Nicholas: keeps a straight face. David: "So, who were the guys with the rifles?" Mr. Not-Peck: "Buncha shlobsh. Shoulda sherved me for free, not taken zee lasht of my money for a shimple hit. Would have gotten in back from zhem." Narrator: Nick's phone rings. Nicholas: checks the call display. David: "Where is the real Mr. Peck." GM: It's from Liz Philips - a minor crusader in Wyoming that you did some work with early in your career. GM: She gets prophetic dreams from the Loa. Nicholas: steps away and answers the call. "Massri." Liz Philips: "Mr. Massri? Are you still taking jobs? Because, I think... there's something really wrong." EJ: "Is Peck alive?" Mr. Not-Peck: "Naw, I killed him. Bashtard. Thought he'd have more money. But it was enough to get you out there..." David: "It was at that." David: "Where's the body?" Nicholas: steps a little further away. "We are. What kind of 'wrong'?" EJ: "More importantly, who are you working for?" Mr. Not-Peck: "Shomewere in the, uhm, the plashe... treesh." Amilastet: "Attracting corpse-dogs no doubt." Amilastet: "No wonder they have a taste for human flesh." David: "You have contact with any more of your old associates from the old days?" Liz Philips: "I've been having dreams. 13 statues, holding down - I don't know what, something, something awful - with great chains. And then, and then... something else is breaking the statues. I don't, I'm not sure entirely what it means, but two of the statues are gone." Nicholas: looks over his shoulder at the ongoing interrogation. "I'm in Colorado right now. We'll need 24 hours to finish things here, but we can head to Wyoming immediately after that. Are you safe?" Liz Philips: "I think so. I don't think I'm targeted - but John Walker, he was a ritualist I know - knew - I saw in the paper he was murdered yesterday!" Mr. Not-Peck: "From zhe old daysh? No, that'sh all gone! My heritage! My powersh! I was going to live forever! You! You took that from me! If I had to die, you had to die firsht!" David: "Well, I suppose that's fair." Clay: "Nobody lives forever imposter" David: turns to the rest. David: "Any other questions?" Nicholas: "Okay. Do me a favor and write up a list of anyone you know Walker might have associated with. They might also be targets. Things might get cleaned up here faster than I expected. We'll be there soon." EJ: "You came up with this plan all on your own? No wonder it sucked!" Mr. Not-Peck: "How ish that fair! I wash going to be immortal! A lord of the sidhe! You should kill yourshelvesh!" Clay: "What were you doing that was so important to live for?" David: "We'll die eventually, as you've pointed out." David: rubs his throat. David: "Maybe sooner than we would hope." David: ((Not throat, ribs)) Liz Philips: "Uhm. I'll see what I can do. Sure. Please, I think this is very important." Mr. Not-Peck: "I WOULD HAVE BEEN A SIDHE! What elshe ish there to live for, but to beautiful and young forever?" Nicholas: "It sounds like it is. Stay safe." Narrator: Liz Philips says her goodbye and hangs up. David: "To protect your fellow man from what preys upon him." Amilastet: snorts. Mr. Not-Peck: He blinks at David owlishly, obviously not making - or caring about - the connection Amilastet: "It sounds like a lovely idea, but it's never as advertised." David: "How did you kill Peck?" David: "And where did you put the weapon?" Mr. Not-Peck: "Poishoned him. Rat poishon. Sho funny, the noishes he made." Amilastet: (( DO humans turn into Sidhe? )) Amilastet: (( Or is he deluded? )) Amilastet: Hidden Lore (Free Spirits) (13) result: failed by 2 Amilastet: (( wish I knew. )) GM: As far as Mila knows, no, but that doesn't prevent the Sidhe from lying by inference about it. Nicholas: steps back to the interrogation. "We have a situation in Wyoming. What are the chances that we can leave him to local authorities and get him pinned for Peck's murder?" David: "Pretty good." GM: You can trivially get him for stealing the identity and things will likely snowball from there. Nicholas: "I'll make some phone calls, then." David: "find the body, he probably left evidence all over the crime scene." David: ((I say we leave him trussed up outside the police station with a note saying "I am not David Peck")) David: ((Batman style)) Clay: (( amusing, but maybe not so effective, I dunno )) Nicholas: Okay, here's the story: We are private investigators (true) who have had dealings with this person in the past (true) that you are not cleared to be told about (also true). David: I thought you were unofficially FBI. David: So we can't say "you are not cleared." Amilastet: Key word. "unofficially" Amilastet: Privacy laws are still pretty good. Nicholas: I have a badge and get to say 'stop asking me questions, you're not cleared'. David: Not in a murder investigation they're not. David: Okay. David: Sounds good to me. GM: He's officially FBI, but he's officially part of the FBI's IT department, so his ability to do field investigations is a bit limited. David: So lets turn him in and start doing research on statues. GM: Technically, the lot of you are contractors involved in revamping the latest rerelease of the update to the FBI's internal information sharing computer network. Clay: we can turn him in for not being the real Peck, and say we don't know what his deal is, but you might keep him until you find the real one GM: Except for EJ and Mila, who are technically HP server racks. David: Heh. Clay: lol Nicholas: This person stole Peck's identity, killed him, and hired us under Peck's identity for purposes that you're not cleared to know. We're returning the money to be forwarded to Peck's next-of-kin. Nicholas: I /think/ this covers the major bases. Nicholas: And if the cops make a connection between not-peck and six rednecks who got killed by bears, then more power to them. We were never there. David: Yup. David: Sounds good. David: We do so! David: Or did you want to do rolls and such, GM? GM: No, I'm perfectly fine with all that. GM: Unless people are strangely Honest for some reason... nope. David: Okay, we book to Wyoming and do research on the way, looking all spec-ops as we get onto our plane. Amilastet: No Honesty here, yeah Nicholas: If he pulls his 'I was going to be Immortal! They are allied with the Unseelie' routine on the regular cops, he might even manage to cop an insanity plea. Nicholas: But probably not. David: Well, he IS insane. David: But whatever. Nicholas: Copping Insanity is actually really freaking hard. Amilastet: I sort of want to find out if he tried that, later, for the entertainment value. Clay: yah, we'd need to make sure he goes to the right place if he does that Nicholas: Even in jurisdictions where you can do so. Amilastet: "Insanity" is a legal term unrelated to mental health. EJ: yes David: Murder and identity theft the cops can deal with. Clay: on to Montana! Amilastet: To Montana! Nicholas: Wyoming. EJ: he could be stark raving mad and not be insane from a legal standpoint GM: He probably can still distinguish right from wrong. He's saner than Lochner, and Lochner (last I heard) isn't managing to get off on an insanity plea. Clay: whereever! Nicholas: Hoo boy am I glad you guys aren't the pilots. David: Wyoming is like montana, but shittier. David: By a lot. David: Giant dirt pile. And I say that as someone who lives in New Mexico. Clay: man, bet they don't have 4G Amilastet: We don't have 4G Amilastet: I'm not sure we have 3G in any sort of reliable way. Clay: (( yah, I don't have a 4G phone, I think there is some here tho )) Clay: anyhow, 13 statues imprisoning something, two down, one ritualist (at least) dead as well Nicholas: The statues are symbolic. Nicholas: The ritualists are the statues. Amilastet: Of course! Narrator: The Help Me! team heads off for a well-deserved nap (okay, except for Mila) in Colorado, then flies out early the next morning for Wyoming, leaving the Wyoming airstrip a little after 10 am. David: Well, see if we can find any analogous symbolism in myth, occultism, etc. Amilastet: Mila spends nap time packing salt-mix into the holes in her body. Clay: "Well, most likely, but you never know" David: Why spend the night? David: Fly at night. David: That's what NPC pilots are fore. Nicholas: Because sleeping in cargo planes sucks. David: ---Fanatic David: ((And it's not that bad!)) EJ: spends nap time trying to sleep. Nicholas: And because I want the evening to do some research with a better connection than we get from the freaking plane. David: ((Turbo deisels actually conk me right out if I'm not driving)) Amilastet: I can stuff salt in my injuries anywhere reasonably private, really. I say you get cots GM: Because Colorado to Wyoming is maybe 2 hours. and Johny is a Light Sleeper with Nightmares so you guys DON'T like sharing rooms with him. David: Satellite. Amilastet: (( airplanes put me to sleep too. )) Clay: heh EJ: Johnny and EJ are going to get along GREAT Clay: research first! Johnny: I only scream a little! David: I would like to close rapidly with our information source instead of taking our time and finding out she was one of the ritualists, or someone found out she was ratting on their murder. Clay: I'll cover the newspapers EJ: and by great, i mean they'll be waking each other with night screams Amilastet: Can we do the research in Wyoming or wherever it is? GM: Severe Flash Backs, Light Sleeper, Nightmares. No, Johnny is not a good room mate. David: Yes. David: We have satcoms, or should. Amilastet: (( looks up Wyoming on a map. )) EJ: and flash backs? talk about hitting the trifecta Nicholas: So yeah. In transit I'll want a background check on John Walker - particularly if there have been any other recent suspicious deaths in the supernatural community - and research on any legends about major demons, ghosts, angels, or other monsters whose binding matches the symbolism from the dreams. Clay: I'm sure they have the internet, even if you have to plug in wires Amilastet: (( wow, that's further north than I thought. )) Johnny: The flashbacks are more of a feedback kinda thing with my nanites. David: ((What's up PTSD! Say hi to your mother for me!)) David: ((North of Colorado)) GM: We'll pick up next week.